World Travel Market brings drinking water to Kenyan schools

World Travel Market, the leading global event for the travel industry, has linked up with international water aid charity Just A Drop to bring clean drinking water to two schools in Kenya.

A budget of £15,000 is needed for the project, which will benefit Kithyululu Secondary School and Kwa Mbotoe Primary School, located some 100 kilometres outside the capital Nairobi.

WTM is leading the fundraising through various initiatives from exhibitor donations and at WTM fundraising on site to staff events which take place throughout the year.

WTM has worked with Just A Drop for a number of years, but the Kenya project is the first to be funded exclusively by World Travel Market.

World Travel Market director Simon Press explained: “The 424 pupils at the school have to bring their own water to school, otherwise they are not allowed to attend classes. But not only is the nearest water six kilometres away, the water contains pollutants.”

By setting up a rain harvesting and storage system to capture rainwater during the wet season, WTM hopes to reduce water-related illness among children and improve attendance at school.

“All of this will result in improved health, increased attendance and concentration which will in turn improve the prospects for these children,” Press added.

WTM and Just A Drop are committed to visiting the site once a year for at least seven years to monitor progress.